COURTESY PHOTO / CITY AND COUNTY OF HONOLULU
The Oahu commuter ferry Melissa Ann was docked at Aloha Tower Pier 9 on Friday.

Commuter ferry arrives in isles

The Melissa Ann, one of two commuter ferries that will travel between Kalaeloa Harbor and downtown Honolulu, arrived in Hawaii last week.

Service is expected to start in mid-September and run for a year. Hornblower Marine Services will run the ferries as part of a $6 million project to see whether the vessels can help reduce traffic and be financially feasible.

The 72-foot vessel can carry 149 passengers per trip.

The city plans three Honolulu-bound trips each weekday morning and three Kalaeloa-bound trips each afternoon.

The cost to ride the ferry will be the same as the bus: $2, including two transfers.

City buses will shuttle passengers between Waianae Transit Center, Kapolei and Makakilo and the ferry pier in West Oahu. City buses also will transport passengers between the Aloha Tower pier downtown and the University of Hawaii and Waikiki via Ala Moana Center.

UH business school among best

U.S. News & World Report ranked the Shidler College of Business at the University of Hawaii at Manoa among the top 25 schools for International Business.

The magazine's annual America's Best Colleges list ranked the undergraduate business program tied for 19th, according to a press release from the university. Last year, the undergraduate program was ranked 13th in the nation.

A graduate school ranking released earlier this year put the Shidler College of Business' graduate program at 21st among national universities.

Overall, the University of Hawaii at Manoa, the state's flagship public university, was listed in the third of four tiers, putting it in the bottom half of the national university category of institutions that offer bachelor's through doctorate degrees with a strong emphasis on research.

U.S. News does not give a numerical ranking to schools in the third and fourth tiers.

On another list available on the U.S. News Web site, the University of Hawaii at West Oahu was tied for 19th for most students over 25.

Until this fall, the school accepted only students who are juniors, seniors or graduate students and it has a high percentage of nontraditional students, many of whom returned to college years after high school.

Kauai recycler faces HI-5 fine

The company has requested an administrative hearing to contest the state's action.

The DOH Solid and Hazardous Waste Branch alleges that between August 2005 through March 2006, Garden Island Disposal short-changed customers by not making state-approved payments for plastic bottles.

The state alleges that the company's state-certified redemption center at 2666 Niumalu Road in Lihue used an unapproved rate of 20 redeemable plastic bottles per pound while the state's approved rate was 16.6 bottles per pound.

The company also used the wrong conversion rate to calculate deposit reimbursements and handling fees submitted to the state, the Health Department said.

The state's proposed penalty includes recovery of $15,260 the state overpaid to Garden Island Disposal.

Big Island brush fire flares anew

A 170-acre brush fire on the Big Island flared up again yesterday.

Firefighters said the fire near Waimea flared up in an inaccessible area within the fire break. But the fire is creating heavy smoke.

Firefighters continue to monitor the fire, which is about 95 percent contained.

The original fire started about 2:10 p.m. Thursday near Kohala Mountain Road. About 40 homes were evacuated from the South Kohala View Estates.

Police, Fire, Courts

Star-Bulletin staff

FL MORRIS / FMORRIS@STARBULLETIN.COMSLAIN: A memorial for Trina Marie Ormeno, a mother of three, has been set up on King Street outside the King Terrace Apartments where she lived. She was found dead with a gunshot wound to the chest Aug. 4 in her apartment. Police have issued a plea for any information on who might have killed her. Funeral services were held yesterday.

EAST OAHU

Motorcyclist hurt in crash with truck
A 37-year-old woman was critically injured yesterday after her motorcycle collided with a pickup truck on Kalanianaole Highway near the Makapuu lookout, police said.

The investigation into the accident closed Kalanianaole Highway, backing up traffic in Hawaii Kai and Waimanalo.

At about 8:00 a.m., the woman's 2005 silver Kawasaki motorcycle struck the rear door of an oncoming 2003 Toyota Tacoma about 190 feet north of the lookout, police said.

The motorcyclist, who was wearing a helmet, fell to the ground and sustained shoulder and internal injuries, police said. Paramedics took her to the Queen's Medical Center.

Police said the motorcyclist was town-bound and had veered into oncoming traffic. The driver of the Toyota truck, a 37-year-old woman, was not injured.

Police re-opened the highway at 10:49 a.m.

NORTH SHORE

Injured hiker takes copter to hospital
Firefighters airlifted a 27-year-old hiker to safety yesterday after he sustained injuries on a trail near Kaena Point.

Honolulu Fire Capt. Frank Johnson said the man's friend called paramedics requesting assistance, who called the fire department about 3 p.m. for assistance.

The hiker was on a hillside and brought down to paramedics, Johnson said. The extent of his injuries were unknown.

Paramedics took the man in serious condition to the Queen's Medical Center, said Bryan Cheplic, Honolulu Emergency Services spokesman.

WINDWARD OAHU

Woman allegedly uses pipe in attack
Police arrested a 36-year-old woman near Hauula yesterday after she allegedly assaulted a 68-year-old man with a metal pipe.

The woman allegedly lacerated the man's hand with the pipe during an argument about 7:15 a.m., then damaged the man's vehicle with the pipe, police said.

Police arrested her on suspicion of second-degree assault and fourth-degree criminal property damage.

CENTRAL OAHU

While extinguishing the fire about 10:45 a.m., firefighters found several barrels in the brush that contained an unknown liquid and requested a hazardous materials company to check on it, said Honolulu Fire Department Capt. Frank Johnson.

The haz-mat team determined the substance in the barrels was no hazard.

The fire, near the end of Meheula Parkway and Lanikuhana Avenue, was contained in about 15 minutes. No structures were threatened, and the barrels were left for the land owner to dispose.

LEEWARD OAHU

Vic Delos Reyes Malaqui of Pupukupa Street was arrested Thursday about 9:15 a.m. after police found him sleeping in a vehicle in front of his residence with two loaded handguns, police said. Malaqui was arrested on suspicion of several weapons charges, including a being a felon in possession of a firearm and an outstanding warrant.

Police did not disclose what led to the burglary charge. His bail was set at $103,000.